1. Bundesliga
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Played
February 11, 2012 2:30 PM GMT
Signal-Iduna-Park — Dortmund
Referee:‬ G. Perl‎
Attendance:‬ 80400‎
 
45′ Shinji Kagawa
 

Bundesliga Preview: Dortmund - Leverkusen

Last year's champions and runners-up meet, with the hosts looking to pull further away from the pack and their guests hoping to rebound from a poor run of results

By Clark Whitney

More On :  Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund, Shinji Kagawa, Lars Bender
Bongarts


PROBABLE LINEUPS

DORTMUND


Weidenfeller
Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer
Leitner, Kehl
Kuba, Kagawa, Grosskreutz
Lewandowski
LEVERKUSEN

Hertha BSC
Leno
Corluka, Schwaab, Friedrich, Oczipka
Rolfes, Reinartz, Bender
Castro, Schurrle
Kiessling

Dortmund enter Saturday's match depleted by injuries, with midfielders Mario Gotze and Sven Bender both sidelined. The pair will be replaced by right-winger Jakub 'Kuba' Blaszczykowski and Moritz Leitner, respectively. Julian Koch is back in training, but is still far from fit to return to action.

Leverkusen are also short of staff, with Eren Derdiyok absent due to a nasty slash to his foot, Sidney Sam out with a muscular injury, Michal Kadlec suspended, and Rene Adler and Tranquillo Barnetta still in rehabilitation for long-term injuries. Bayer are expected to line-up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Lars Bender, Stefan Reinartz and Simon Rolfes anchoring the midfield.


 DID YOU KNOW
  • Dortmund have lost just one of their last nine meetings with Leverkusen, winning and drawing four apiece.
  • The title holders have not been defeated in 14 Bundesliga games, the longest such streak at the moment.
  • BVB have not been held scoreless for 16 domestic games.
  • Leverkusen have not been beaten in six matches away from home, having won two and drawn four times.
  • Robin Dutt's side have won just eight domestic games this season, their lowest tally after 20 matchdays since 2006-07.
  • Should he feature in Saturday's match, Gonzalo Castro will make his 200th Bundesliga appearance.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    18.69 %
  • Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    17.76 %
  • Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    14.64 %
Head to Head
1. Bundesliga ‎(GER1)‎ Feb 3, 2013 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2 - Borussia Dortmund 3
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1. Bundesliga ‎(GER1)‎ Sep 15, 2012 Borussia Dortmund 3 - Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0
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1. Bundesliga ‎(GER1)‎ Feb 11, 2012 Borussia Dortmund 1 - Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0
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1. Bundesliga ‎(GER1)‎ Aug 27, 2011 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 - Borussia Dortmund 0
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1. Bundesliga ‎(GER1)‎ Jan 14, 2011 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1 - Borussia Dortmund 3
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Last Five Matches
Borussia Dortmund
May 18, 2013Borussia Dortmund 1 - Hoffenheim 2GER1
May 11, 2013VfL Wolfsburg 3 - Borussia Dortmund 3GER1
May 4, 2013Borussia Dortmund 1 - FC Bayern München 1GER1
Apr 30, 2013Real Madrid CF 2 - Borussia Dortmund 0UCL
Apr 27, 2013F. Düsseldorf 1 - Borussia Dortmund 2GER1
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
May 18, 2013Hamburg 0 - Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1GER1
May 11, 2013Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3 - Hannover 96 1GER1
May 4, 2013Nürnberg 0 - Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2GER1
Apr 27, 2013Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1 - Werder Bremen 0GER1
Apr 20, 2013Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5 - Hoffenheim 0GER1
Odds
Returns: Dortmund £14.44 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £150.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Leverkusen £710.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
1Roman WeidenfellerGoalkeeper
4Neven SuboticDefender
15Mats HummelsDefender
26Lukasz PiszczekDefender
29Marcel SchmelzerDefender
5Sebastian KehlMidfielder
16Jakub BlaszczykowskiMidfielder
19Kevin GroßkreutzMidfielder
6Sven BenderMidfielder
26Shinji KagawaMidfielder
9Robert LewandowskiStriker
20Mitchell LangerakGoalkeeper
22Patrick OwomoyelaDefender
27Felipe SantanaDefender
7Moritz LeitnerMidfielder
14Ivan PerisicMidfielder
8Ilkay GündoganMidfielder
19L. BarriosStriker
1Bernd LenoGoalkeeper
2Daniel SchwaabDefender
6Bastian OczipkaDefender
5Manuel FriedrichDefender
22Vedran CorlukaDefender
3Stefan ReinartzMidfielder
6Simon RolfesMidfielder
8Lars BenderMidfielder
27G. CastroDefender
9Andre SchürrleStriker
11Stefan KießlingStriker
33Fabian GieferGoalkeeper
20Danny da CostaDefender
21Ömer ToprakDefender
25Renato AugustoMidfielder
13Michael BallackMidfielder
-M. OrtegaMidfielder
38Karim BellarabiMidfielder
Players to Watch
Moritz Leitner
Moritz Leitner
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 7
Games Goals YC RC
25 0 1 0
The young midfielder is expected to start in place of Sven Bender. He is a different type of player compared to the hard-nosed enforcer, and his creativity and skill in making play from deep areas will add the kind of character to BVB that has been missing since Nuri Sahin's departure last summer.
Andre Schürrle
Andre Schürrle
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
34 11 1 0
Leverkusen need a spark, and the player most capable of delivering such inspiration is Schurrle. The Germany international is the most talented player on his team, but has been out of form in recent months. Perhaps with the Champions League returning next week, and with his side facing the leaders and defending champions,  he will summon the class of yesteryear.
Prediction
Leverkusen have a good run without losing away from home, but their record against BVB is poor, and the hosts are in remarkable form at the moment. B04 will be without several key figures, and that could make all the difference.
Editor's Prediction
Dortmund 2
Leverkusen 0
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Stefan Kießling Stefan Kießling
Striker
Leverkusen 		25 4
Robert Lewandowski Robert Lewandowski
Striker
Dortmund 		24 1
Alexander Meier Alexander Meier
Midfielder
Eintracht Frankfurt 		17 3
Vedad Ibisevic Vedad Ibisevic
Striker
VfB Stuttgart 		15 5
Mario Mandzukic Mario Mandzukic
Striker
Bayern 		15 0